A precise determination of black hole spin in GRO J1655-40

Abstract

We note that the recently discovered 450 Hz frequency in the X-ray flux of the black hole candidate GRO J1655-40 is in a 3:2 ratio to the previously known 300 Hz frequency of quasi-periodic oscillations (QPO) in the same source. If the origin of high frequency QPOs in black hole systems is a resonance between orbital and epicyclic motion of accreting matter, as suggested previously, the angular momentum of the black hole can be accurately determined, given its mass. We find that the dimensionless angular momentum is in the range 0.2 < j < 0.67 if the mass is in the (corresponding) range of 5.5 to 7.9 solar masses.